Photographic-printing frame.



' D. J. LINDSAY.

PHOTOGRA'PEIO PRINTING FRAME.

'APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 23, 1908.

949, 1 2'5 Patented Feb 15; 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

2 Witnesses: In venzar; @M FM A m DEM Q7 AM, i rgwvSan c ivfarney.

D. J. LINDSAY.

PHOTOGBAPHIO PRINTING FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23} 1908.

Patented Feb. 15, 1910.

Fay. 4

DAVID J'. LINDSAY, OF NEWTON HIGHLANDS, MASSACHUSETTSS.

PHOTOGRAPHIC-PRINTING FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1910.

Application filed March 23, 1808. Serial No. 422,814.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAvn) J. LINDSAY, a

sex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a I certain new and usefulImprovement in Photographic-Printing Frames, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The general objects of my improvement in photographic printing framesare to facihtate the operations of opening and closing a frame,inserting a sensitized sheet or card therein in proper relation with thenegative in readiness for exposure for printing, and removing the saidsheet or card after the exposure.

The invention is especially useful for employment in exposing a numberof sheets or cards in succession with the same negative, and enables theoperator to attain an exceedingly rapid speed of manipulation, withaccurate positioning or registering of the negative and each sheet orcard with reference to each other.

A convenient embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings,in which lat ter,

Figure 1 is a View of a photographic printing frame containing the saidembodiment, looking at the back side of the said frame. Fig. 2 is a viewthereof, looking at the same side, with the movable door swung out ofthe compartment which. it normally occupies as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a view in vertical longitudinal section in the plane indicated bydotted line 3, 3, of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view in similar section in theplane of line 4, 4, of Fig. 2.

Having reference to the drawings,-the rectangular rim or open body ofthe printing frame is marked 1, it being provided with aninteriorly-located shoulder, lip, or flange 2, Figs. 3 and 4, againstwhich the margin of the transparent glass plate 3 rests. A back 4occupies the central opening of the said rim or body above the plateshown in Figs. 3 and 4, and is furnished with the softfacing 5, Figs. 8and 4, of felt, cloth, or the like, to make contact with the adjacentsurface of the said plate 3, or with a negative, as 6, interposedbetween the plate and the back. As customary, in order to provide forputting the negative into place within the frame, and taking it outagain, the back is made removable, and is detachably latched in itsworking position.

I have devised a convenient latching means which is shown in thedrawings, and which comprises the movable latches 7, 7, 7, 'Z, and thefixed lugs 8, 8,8, 8. The latches are disposed in pairs, with one ofeach pair located at one side edge of the back and the other located atthe opposite side edge. Each latch is hinged at one end thereof by apivotal screw 9 to the back, and is arranged to swing transversely ofthe frame, into and out of engagement with the coacting lug. The lugsare affixed to the rim or body 1, and project inwardly therefrom. Thelatches are bent so that the main portions thereof project away from theexposed face of the back and normally stand farther a ay than the lugs.They are engaged with the lugs by pressing the elevated portions of thelatches toward the back and then swinging them outward under the lugs,after which the pressure is relieved and the latches remain under thelugs, in a state of partial flexure and consequent ten sion which causesthe back to be held in place with a firm but yielding pressure againstthe negative 6 and the plate 3. By swinging the latches inwardly theyare disengaged from the lugs, so as to leave the hack free to beremoved. The free extremities of the latches are bent or curvedslightly.

to constitute thumb-holds, and by the disposition of the latchingdevices in pairs, with the members of each pair located at oppositesides of the frame, it is made possibio for the operator to grasp theopposite side-bars of the frame with his two hands in a natural manner,with his thumbs directed inwardly and resting upon the two latches. Bypressure of his thumbs he can operate the pair of latchessimultaneously, either into engagement with the coacting lugs or out ofengagement therewith, according as it is necessary to secure the back inplace or release it. One pair of latches having been operated in thismanner, his hands may be shi -ted along the side-bars and the'other pairof latches may similarly be operated.

For convenience and rapidity of manipulation, I make provision forholding the negative (3 securely in a definite position within theframe, and for applying in the proper predetermined relation thereto thesensitized sheet or card which is to be exposed therewith. Thus, I formthe back 1 with an opening or compartment, as at 10, Figs. 1, 2 and 4,of shape and dimensions conforming to the said sheet or card, andconstituting a pocket into which the latter may be dropped. In preparingto print with a given negative, and after the latter has been placedagainst the transparent plate 3 and the back has been placed within theopening of the frame, but before it is latched in place, the saidnegative is adjusted upon the plate until it is presented in the desiredposition with respect to the opening or compartment. This is effectedreadily by inserting the fingers within the opening or compartment, whenthe latter is uncovered, resting them upon the portion of the negativewhich is exposed therein, and pushing the negative into place. It isintended that the marginal portions of the negative shall intervenebetween the surrounding portion of the back and plate 3, and hence whenthe latches are engaged with the fixed lugs the said marginal portionsare clamped and the negative thereby securely held in place. A sheet orcard fitting the opening or compartment registers correctly with theportion of the negative which is intended to print, and hence theprinting will be effected accurately. lVhile the negative remains heldin the manner described, one sheet or card after another may be placedin the opening or compartment for exposure or printing, being removedafter the latter has been effected, thus enabling the required number ofprints to be made with simply one adjustment of the negative inbeginning operations and without the inconvenience, trouble. and delaywhich are experienced when the back requires to be removed and the loosenegative and sheet or card require to be adjusted and to be secured inposition by the back for each print to be made.

For the purpose of closing the opening or compartment and pressing asensitized sheet or card 11, Fig. 3, therein against the nega tive G, adoor 12 is provided. This door is faced with soft material 6 to makecontact with the said sheet or card. It is mounted to swing into and outof the opening or compartment upon hinges 13, 13, Figs. 1 and 3. Thesaid figures show the door closed. It is shown in F igs. 2 and a swungout of the opening or compartment, leaving the latter open andunobstructed. It is locked in its closed position, as by means of athumblatch 1%, engaging a pin 15 which projects from the free end of thedoor.

In order that the operator may be relieved of the necessity of liftingthe door by hand outof the opening or compartment, one or more springs,as 16, 1.6, Fig. 1, are combined with the door, so thatas soon as thelatch 11- is disengaged or tripped by pressure of ones thumb or fingerthereagainst the said spring or springs shall act to throw the door fromits position in Figs. 1 and 3 to its position in Figs. 2 and t.

In order that the operator may be relieved of the necessity of pickingout of the opening or compartment the sheet or card which has beenexposed, and that no delay may occur in the placing of the succeedingsheet of card therein for exposure, an automatic pick-up is provided,arranged to be operated by or under control of the door, and acting toremove the sheet or card from the opening or compartment when the dooropens. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the pick-up is asuction-cup 17, carried by the door, Figs. 2, 3 and 1-, the workingportion of which is arranged at the inner side of the door so as toengage with the sheet or card occupying the opening or compartment. Vhenthe latch 14. is sprung and the door is thrown open by the action of itsspring or springs, the suction cup causes the said sheet or card toaccompany the door, leaving the opening or compartment unoccupied, sothat all that is necessary to be done is to drop a fresh sheet or cardinto the same, remove the previous one from the suction-cup, and closethe door into place again.

lVhen a mask is employed in connection with the negative it is held inplace by its marginal portions being clamped by the portions of the backaround the opening or compartment. The mask, held in the manner justnoted, will itself retain the negative securely in the desired positionin case the latter smaller than the opening or compartment.

For convenience the back, engaging with the marginal portions of thenegative or with those of the mask when one is employed, is termed by mea retainer to indicate its functional capacity in this particularrespect.

What is claimed as my invention is:

1. In a photographic printing-frame, the combination with the body orrim, a rim like retainer which clamps the margin of the negative allaround and thereby im1novably secures the negative in place, the saidretainer being formed with a central opening or compartment to looselycontain a sensitized sheet or card to be exposed and cause the same toregister with the negative, means for securing the retainer closed in engagement with the negative, and a hinged door for the said opening orcompartment, of a thumb-latch acting directly in connection with thesaid door to independently hold the latter in closed condition, and aspring acting to throw the door open automatically when the latch issprung, thereby uncovering the said opening or compartment but leavingthe retainer firmly secured in its closed condition holding the negativeall around its margin.

2. In a photographic printing-frame, the combination with the open bodythereof, the back fitting within the opening of the said body, andhaving a rim arranged to clamp the margin of the negative all around andthereby immovably hold the negative in place, and formed with a chamberto loosely contain a sensitized card or the like and hold the same inthe desired register with the negative, of means for holding said rim inplace in engagement with the negative, and the movable door closing thesaid chamber and retaining the card or the like to be printed, of alatch independently holding the door closed, a door-opening spring whichacts to automatically open the said chamber when such latch is sprung,leaving the back in its closed working position, and a pick-up whichautomatically lifts the printed card bodily out of the chamber of theback.

In a photographic printing-frame, the combination with the body or rim,and the back, of latching devices arranged in pairs, the members ofwhich are disposed opposite each other, each pair comprising two detentlugs on the said body or rim and two spring thumbdevers which arepivoted at one end on the back to swing transversely from each otherunder the said lugs to lock the back to the body or rim, the freeextremities of the said thumb-levers projecting from the surface of theback into positions to receive the pressure of the thumbs of handsgrasping the side-rails of the body or rim, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID J. LINDSAY.

W'itnesses .CHAs. F. RANDALL, RAYMOND T. PARKE.

